I feel like the custodians and groundskeepers at my university are always greeting me before I even think to do it, I’m usually in my head and running to the next things. I don’t know if they remember that I’ve been nice to them in the past, I look like I would be nice, or if I look like a typical run-down PhD student and could use some positivity, but they always seem to know to greet me.

When I interned as a bench chemist as an undergrad, I became friends with the stock-room guy who brings in the shipments of chemicals/materials and distribute them to the correct people. The job requires a small amount of training, but no degree, and this guy in particular dropped out of HS and had some missing teeth, so most of the chemists there were really shitty to him. There was basically the educated researchers, and then un-educated plant workers and stock-room workers who do grunt work like bring in shipments and clean glassware.

I always got my materials first thing because I was genuinely nice to the guy and we would chat and hang out at work-place events. Even went out of his way when I was really pressed a few times to get something in ASAP. He was such a good guy and I’ll always remember him.